Chelsea finishes 5th in EPL after losing 3-0 at Newcastle

NEWCASTLE, England (AP) — Ayoze Perez struck twice to end Chelsea's faint hopes of Champions League qualification as Newcastle secured a top-10 finish on its return to the Premier League on Sunday.

Chelsea lost 3-0 in the final game of a pitiful title defense that saw the London club finish fifth. Chelsea could soon be looking for a new manager with Antonio Conte expected to leave after Saturday's FA Cup final against Manchester United.

Dwight Gayle headed in the opener in the 23rd minute, and Perez's second-half double ended a run of four successive losses and clinched 10th place, fuelling fresh calls from the stands for manager Rafael Benitez to extend his stay at Newcastle.